Iraq News Now

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) is meeting with Islamic parties on Thursday for the first time since rounds of talks began for the formation of the new Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) cabinet. 

Mohammed Hawdiyani, the head of the Kurdistan Islamic Union (KIU) public relations department, said though they have insisted to become opposition, they would meet a KDP delegation. The meeting began on Thursday morning.

A joint KIU-Islamic Movement of Kurdistan (IMK) Reform List won five seats. When the KIU ran alone in 2013, it secured 10. Both parties have decided not to join the government.

Asked whether the visit by KDP is to dissuade them, Hawdiyani said: "The KIU has made its final decision and not go back on it. In the anticipated meeting, the KRG's new cabinet will not be discussed, but both sides' political relations."

The Kurdistan Islamic Group (Komal) that obtained seven seats — one more than in the previous parliament — wants listen to the KDP.

"I do not think the visit will be about the question of forming the new government. We see that it will be a normal party level visit. And we are also waiting to see what will they say," said Bilal Sulaiman, the head of the Komal's parliament and government center.

The KDP's last stop will be at the Kurdistan Communist Party's headquarters in Erbil.

"Though the communist party has opted to become opposition, that does not mean we are hampering meetings within the framework of the political relations," said Handiren Ahmed, its head of their media department. 

Government formation talks have been underway for two months now primarily between the winning parties: KDP, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and the Change Movement (Gorran).

Disagreements about the distribution of posts in key ministries have been sticking points following the election on September 30.

The KDP and PUK also have said they don’t want to shut out any party from the new government. 

Reporting by Sarbaz Syamand

Update: 10:10 a.m.